Labradoodle & Goldendoodle Forum
I want my puppy so bad & have so for years & finaly decided on a petite goldendoodle but this place is kinda fishy to me so I want some legit reviews. I want to know if anyone has seen the puppy nursery etc.. cause they don't allow visitors do to the germs & bad stuff people carry but they do pay little kids to play with them???? That is strange. There are no videos of the nursery or the parents no videos really just maybe two i found online but they don't give me any info. They also offer a lot of designer dogs which i have been taught is a red flag. But this place seems very popular & supposedly has lots of reviews including some from trainers. Does anyone have legit reviews from this place? http://www.timshellfarm.com/ Please let me know asap please cause i don't want to make a mistake & i need to know soon.
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I have not heard of them. We got our goldendoodle from Kathy Burgess at DoodleQuest outside Lexington, KY. She is a guardian dog, meaning we are breeding her for Doodlequest. Bailey is in heat and will be bred within days. She's a mini and tops out at 14 lbs. She's perfect! I would contact Kathy if you don't pursue the farm you referenced. Good luck!
You're right to be concerned. I looked at their website and although it looks beautiful, it's all marketing. Who even knows if the beautiful pictures are their dogs? There are a lot of red flags here, in my opinion.
Offering all kinds of "designer dogs."
No information or background on the individual parents. There might not be videos, but there should be photos.
No health testing. There is a whole list of tests that responsible breeders do and generally post. Or they will provide the results.
No mention of a health guarantee. Most responsible breeders give a 1-2 year guarantee against genetic diseases. Although no one can guarantee the health of a puppy 100%, offering one lets you know the breeder is committed to breeding the healthiest dogs they can.
Most good breeders hold open houses or invite you to come visit them and see their dogs. It's true, you may not be able to see the puppies as that poses a health risk, but you are certainly welcome to get to know them and their dogs. Some may be in Guardian homes, but you'll still get to meet some of their dogs and get info on upcoming breedings.
"Testamonials" are a dime a dozen. They may or may not be real, as are kennel reviews online. You can ask for a reference list and contact previous purchasers directly.
I don't know anything about this particular breeder, but like I said, I see a lot of red flags. Hopefully, you can get some answers or find another breeder here. Good that you're asking them now. Best of luck!
I agree with Cheryl.
Bertha, if you haven't read the DK article, What to Look for in a Breeder, you really should read it, and then use it as a checklist to evaluate any breeder you are considering. These are the absolute minimum standards that you should accept. If someone can't meet them, look elsewhere: http://www.doodlekisses.com/notes/What_To_Look_for_In_a_Breeder
I agree with Cheryl and Finnegan in that I would be very concerned. There are so many reliable breeders recommended by Doodlekisses members from whom I would adopt a precious family member. I looked at the website and whereas it is truly lovely, replete with pictures of beautiful puppies with attractive children, the content is sketchy and in many respects, the content is unprofessional in that as Cheryl mentioned, the important things such as health testing, parent information and so forth, are omitted. It almost sounds like a high class puppy mill, which is something I would avoid at all costs. Even if you contact a reliable breeder, and must go on a waiting list, the wait is usually worth it. I purchased my amazing doodle, Paz, from Cheyenne Valley Labradoodles, and actually waited 6 months for the puppy I wanted. The wait was truly worth it; my breeder listened to what I was looking for, and because she was really an expert, helped me select a beautiful doodle who truly met my needs. So please be patient, and contact the breeders recommended by the owners on this site.
Here are the things I would demand before buying any puppy from any breeder:
Genetic health testing of the breeding dogs for every known genetic disease which runs in that particular breed and for which there is testing available.
A health warranty that offers reimbursement up to the full purchase price for genetic disease or conditions. A guarantee that requires you to return the dog for another puppy is flat out not acceptable. Period.
No stipulations that you must feed a certain food or give a certain vitamin in order for the health warranty to be valid.
The opportunity to meet the parents and to see where the puppies live.
Breeding of several different types of mixes is a HUGE red flag. Dozens of dogs and multiple litters is another.
And I would steer clear of any breeder who is breeding tiny poodles with full-sized retrievers. If a breeding could not take place naturally, there's a reason for that.
Karen, you truly touched on so many important points when seeking a reliable breeder. I've heard of so many horror stories, where people paid a substantial amount of money to purchase a dog, and when they attempted to contact the breeder, they no longer existed or refused any accountability. Additionally, once someone brings home a puppy and falls in love, giving him/her back is really not an option.
This past Monday, i had JD at the Specialty Clinic for a visit with his IMS. There was a woman in the waiting area with a gorgeous 7 month old lab puppy. I complimented him, and the owner told me that he is riddled with orthopedic issues, all genetic. The breeder is only willing to take him back and give her another puppy instead, which is not an option; she loves him. She is now stuck with thousands of dollars of vet bills, no end in sight, pain and suffering for this baby, and of course, no insurance company will cover any of it in the future because it will be a pre-existing condition. :(
Videos would mean nothing to me. Anyone can take a video of puppies, it tells you nothing. All puppies are cute. The least reputable backyard breeder in the world could post a cute video of puppies. I know of a large doodle breeder who posts the cutest videos in the world of all her puppies. She also has every genetic disease that runs in any of the parent breeds in her lines. Cute puppy videos, very sick dogs.
Reviews also mean nothing. The internet is filled with rave reviews of known puppy mills. We have had people right here on DK recommend a huge nationwide puppy mill brokerage as a great place to get a doodle puppy. As was already mentioned here, testimonials mean nothing, especially when they are about puppies. Show me a testimonial from the owner of a healthy 6 year old doodle, and maybe that would count for something. We all love our dogs and think they are great, but that doesn't mean our breeders were doing the right things.
Giving a 2 year Health guarantee is nice, but what exactly does that guarantee say? Will they reimburse you for expenses for a genetic illness or condition and let you keep your dog, or will you have to return him? You need to know this. Do they require you to buy pyramid scheme dog food & vitamins in order to keep the guarantee valid? What health testing is done, and what age were the breeding dogs when they were tested? Prelims are nice, but not enough for me, personally. Did they test for HD only, or did they test elbows and heart too? What about Von Willebrand's? You need to ask all of these questions.
Some of the mixes that this breeder is selling are a big problem for me. There are very few combinations more senseless or more prone to have serious health issues, even with testing.
Also, being a nice person doesn't make you a good breeder.
And if there are miniature or toy poodles involved in any mixed breed puppy, PRA testing is absolutely crucial. Trust me on that one.
Bertha, have you considered a purebred poodle or another type of purebred? Since you want a small dog, there arre lots and lots of different non-shedding breeds available from excellent breeders, for a lot less money than a doodle. If you are looking at "petite" doodles because you believe they are going to have the personalities of Golden Retrievers, that's usually not true anyway. What are your specific needs?
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